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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Lawrence Arms - Fat Club 7"

The Lawrence Arms – Fat
Club 7”

Fat Wreck Chords, 2001

Acquired: Half Price Books, Used, 2013

Price: $.50

“Porno and Snuff Films” was the lead single and lead off
track from the Lawrence Arms third album, Apathy& Exhaustion. This was the first song of theirs I ever heard and it was
the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship with one of Chicago’s best punk
bands. This is the same as the Fat Club
7” listed on Discogs, but it is not pressed on transparent purple vinyl. Either
way, it contains “Overheated,” one of my favorite Larry Arms b-sides. Only
because it came on shuffle one day and I sat back, said “Oh shit” and thought
about how the Larry Arms always have the best b-sides. It’s funny, because I
started off as a total Brendan Kelly guy and evolved into a Chris McCaughan
guy. I think it’s an id/superego thing. Brendan Kelly is all the raw, brutal,
piss and shit elements where Chris McCaughan is the more sensitive, emotionally
ravaged stuff. Together, their dynamic and the way their little venn diagrams
overlap make the Lawrence Arms a band I consistently root for and patiently
await each and every release. Good to know their new album, Metropole, is comin’ out on the ‘taph on
January 28!